Microplates, sometimes referred to as micro-titer plates, are generally utilized in the performance of biological assays, wherein the effects of a drug, bacteria or virus on living cells is characteristized, e.g. toxicity, metabolism, etc. Microplates are also utilized to store chemical compounds. More particularly, biological assays are utilized to determine the inter-reaction of pharmaceutical compositions.
Due to the vast amount of pharmaceutical drug candidates under evaluation as well as the abundance of assays performed to determine the activity and safety of a drug candidate, microplates will generally contain a large matrix of sample collection wells. For example, the microplates can be arranged in matrices of 5xc3x976, 6xc3x978, 8xc3x9710, 8xc3x9712, etc. After samples are collected in microplate wells, a lid is generally placed thereupon to prevent evaporation and contamination, and the microplate can be held in cold storage until ready for screening.
Today, computer-controlled processes and robotics are available to manage every facet of collecting, storing and screening biological assays. Heretofore, robotic de-lidding of a microplate, after removal from cold storage and/or prior to sample analysis, has presented several problems. Associated with the de-lidding operation has been the problem of providing an automated apparatus for holding a microplate while removing the lid and immediately releasing it thereafter, so that a robotic mechanism can deliver the microplate to a screening station.
The present invention provides an apparatus that can be automated for utilization with robotic handling systems to securely grip and hold a container such as a microplate during lid removal, mixing or oscillation operations. As will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the apparatus of the invention can also be adapted to grip and hold a variety of containers, e.g. microplates, jars, vials, dishes, etc., while removing lids, rotating, oscillating, agitating, removing samples therefrom, and other operations as will become apparent to those skilled in the art.
An apparatus for gripping and holding a container during de-lidding, mixing or oscillating operations, comprising:
a) a horizontally positioned, flat surfaced base comprising: i) a vertical aperture partially extending through the top of the base, ii) a horizontal aperture extending through a side of the base and intersecting the vertical aperture, iii) a plurality of intermittent, vertical, raised edges on the top of the base, and iv) means for attaching the base to a support;
b) a flat, elastic plate gasket, conforming to the shape of the base, resting on top of the base between the raised edges, the gasket having a vertical aperture therethrough aligning with the vertical aperture of the base, wherein the height of the raised edges extend above the height of the plate gasket; and
c) vacuum means attached to the horizontal aperture on the side of the base,
wherein a flat, bottom container having a lid thereon and conforming to the shape of the base being placed on top of the plate gasket, fitting within and abutting against the raised edges of the base, and a vacuum being applied to the base, the container is suctionally pulled down towards the base and securely held there without loss of vacuum while means for removing the lid is being applied thereto.